Ingredients
- 2 quarts cream
- 5 ears corn
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 ounce flour
- 1 ounce chopped thyme
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 ounces mixed baby greens
- 2 tablespoons mixed fresh herbs, chopped
- 1/2 pound cooked jumbo lump crabmeat, picked free of shell (at Commander's Palace, the crab is poached in Champagne)
- 2 tablespoons cane vinegar or white wine vinegar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1½ cups pecan halves
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- Creole seafood seasoning, to taste
- 1 medium egg
- 1 cup milk
- Six 5- to 7-ounce fish fillets (flounder, bass, catfish, or any thin, smaller, non-oily fish)
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
Chef notes
This dish is a crowd pleaser and it's great because you don't have to spend all afternoon in the kitchen to create it.
Technique tip: Pick out the freshest piece of fish you can find. Be open to other types of fish than you had in mind if they are fresher. You want to stick with soft, white, flaky fish. Avoid the robust oily pieces. Also, have everything ready before you cook the fish.
Swap option: You can use chicken thighs for this recipe. You can use milk instead of cream if you need to lighten it up.
Preparation
For the crushed corn sauce:
In a pot, over medium heat, combine the butter and flour and cook, stirring frequently, until a medium to dark brown roux forms.
In a separate pot add the cream. Cut the corn kernels off of the cobs and add to the cream. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the chopped onion. Whisk in the roux and chopped thyme. Return to boil until the mixture is thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
For the crab salad:
In a large bowl toss greens, herbs, crabmeat, and vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
For the fish:
1.Place the pecans, the flour and the Creole seasoning in a food processor and process until finely ground. Transfer the pecan flour to a large bowl.
2.In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg and milk together.
3.Season both sides of the fish fillets with Creole seasoning.
4.Working one at a time, place the fillets in the egg wash. Remove one fillet from the egg wash, letting any excess fluid drain back into the bowl. Dredge the fillet in the pecan flour and coat both sides, shaking off any excess. Transfer to a dry sheet pan, and repeat with the remaining fillets.
5.Place a large skillet over high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Heat for about 2 minutes, or until the butter is completely melted and starts to bubble. Place three fish fillets in the pan and cook for 1½ minutes per side, or until the fish is an even brown. Remove the fish, place on a baking rack, wipe the pan clean with a paper towel, add another 2 tablespoons of butter, and repeat with the three remaining pieces of fish.
To serve:
Divide the corn sauce onto six serving plates. Place a piece of fish in center of the sauce, top with salad and serve.
